Scenes from Glacier's 2011 historic winter

As the northern hemisphere approaches another winter season, I thought this would be a good time to take a look back at last year's historic winter in Glacier.

The amount of snow that fell in Glacier during the 2010/2011 season was massive. On average, the Going-to-the-Sun Road usually opens by early June. In 2011, however, it didn't open until July 13th, the latest ever. Road crews estimated that the Big Drift area at Logan Pass had roughly 50-60 feet of snow in early July, a depth normally seen on Memorial Day weekend!

Earlier in the year the park reported that USGS snow surveys measured 106 inches of snow on the ground at the 5,900 foot level near Siyeh Bend on the Going-to-the-Sun Road at the end of April. 166 inches were recorded at the 7,000 foot level.

Here are a few photos from the National Park Service to give you an idea of what the conditions were like in early July as the crews worked to clear the Going-to-the-Sun Road:

Here's the Logan Pass Visitor Center:

And the restrooms at Logan Pass:




Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com

What happened to the other 7 backcountry chalets in Glacier?

Did you know that there were a total of nine backcountry chalets in Glacier National Park at one point? So what happened to the other seven?

In the early 1900s some Americans were becoming alarmed over the increased spending of American dollars on European travel. While discussing Glacier one day, Senator "Pitchfork Ben" Tillman of South Carolina stated: "It is very ridiculous to me to see the amount of money spent by Americans to see the scenery of Europe without having first seen what we have at home." This concern provided one of the motivations for creating a national park at Glacier. Having an "American Alps," or a "Switzerland of the United States," such as Glacier, allowed America to compete against Canadian and European resorts and tourist attractions.

The Great Northern Railway played an extremely important role in the establishment of a national park during this time period as well. The Great Northern had a rail line running along the southern edge of Glacier, and saw the establishment of a national park as a way of increasing passengers on their trains, while also increasing their revenues.

So it was against this backdrop that the president of the Great Northern Railway, Louis W. Hill, began building a number of hotels and chalets throughout the park in the 1910s as a way of promoting tourism. These buildings were modeled on Swiss architecture as part of Hill's plan to portray Glacier as the "American Alps" or "America's Switzerland". Included in this project was a network of 9 European-style chalet complexes. Thus, leaving from one of Hill's luxury lodges, guests could hike or ride to one these rustic chalets in less than a day.

The chalets, built between 1910 and 1915, included Sperry, Granite Park, Cut Bank, Goat Haunt, Going-to-the-Sun (Sun Point), St. Mary, Gunsight Lake, Many Glacier, and one of the Two-Medicine Chalets (the other was converted into a store, which is still in use today). In their prime, several of the Chalets would host 100 to 150 guests a night.

Today, only Sperry and Granite Park remain. Both owe their survival to the use of native stone as their primary construction material. The masonry of these chalets made it possible to withstand Montana’s brutal winters. In contrast, the wooden structures of the other chalets deteriorated so badly that many had to be razed during the late 1940s.

St. Mary Chalet:

The first chalet to meet its demise was Gunsight Lake when it was destroyed by an avalanche in 1916. The Many Glacier Chalets burned down during a massive forest fire in 1936. During WWII the remainder of the chalets were closed. The lack of use during the war years forced a reassessment of the facilities, and by 1944 park officials agreed that the St. Mary Chalet was no longer necessary and was subsequently destroyed. Similarly, the chalets at Cut Bank and Sun Point were regarded as "beyond repair" and an "eyesore" and were destroyed by 1949. Finally, the structure used for lodging at Two-Medicine was razed and burned in 1956.

It’s a shame that America had to lose these historic structures. Too bad the Great Northern Railway didn’t have the foresight to build more of the chalets out of native stone. Modern day hikers would have even more overnight destinations from which to consider.

For more historical perspective on this subject, check out Glacier's Historic Hotels And Chalets, which traces the creation and use of the Great Northern Railway’s hotels and chalet colonies in Glacier National Park, and includes many old photographs.






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Virtually no one went hiking before the 19th century. What occurred that inspired ordinary people to take a walk through the woods for pleasure? Ramble On: A History of Hiking explores the rich history of hiking, and how it evolved into one of the most popular pastimes in the world.

Heat Elite: Columbia Sportswear goes high tech

Last year Columbia Sportswear approached me to see if I would be interested in field testing one of their new Omni-Heat Elite Jackets.

Of course I jumped at the opportunity. My only requirement was to field test the product, and then provide feedback via a questionnaire. Writing this review is completely voluntary on my part.

Columbia sent me the jacket in late October and I provided my feedback in early December. Unfortunately we had a relatively warm late fall, so I really didn't get a chance to provide Columbia with my thoughts on how the jacket performed in the conditions it was meant to be used in. Thus, the following is my review after wearing the jacket through a full winter that turned out to be one of the coldest in several years.

First and foremost, the Omni-Heat Elite is a top quality jacket for outdoor usage, especially hiking.

The Omni-Heat line of gear from Columbia Sportswear utilizes new technology that helps to maintain warmth and prevent heat loss in cold weather. The secret is a new thermal reflective technology that helps regulate your temperature by reflecting and retaining the warmth your body generates. Additionally, a breathable membrane helps to dissipate moisture and excess heat to keep you comfortable. Columbia claims that, on average, the jacket boosts heat retention by 20%.

Two other important features that Columbia touts are that the jacket is waterproof and windproof. Essentially, the Omni-Heat Elite Jacket is billed as a lightweight fleece that offers the protection of a parka without the bulk.

So, for me, the jacket has to pass four tests: comfort, wind resistance, rain resistance and warmth.

Comfort was the easiest to assess. The jacket passed with flying colors. Although it has a relatively snug fit, there’s still plenty of room for a heavy base layer without feeling any restriction in movement. I particularly liked the neck which fit just right from the back of the neck to the bottom of my chin. This prevented wind and rain from making its way into my core area. Also, the jacket has only a little more bulk than my medium weight fleece.

Wind: Over the course of the winter months last year, we had a few (relative) high wind events. During one of the worst weather conditions that I had a chance to wear the jacket occurred while hiking in an 18-degree temperature, with winds of 15-20 MPH and a wind chill of 5 degrees. I thought the jacket did an outstanding job of keeping the icy winds out, thus keeping my core warm even during the strongest gusts.

For what it’s worth, on one occasion I used the constant wind generated during a bike ride to test the wind resistance of the jacket. Most road cyclists would probably tell you that it starts to get uncomfortable on a bike when temps start falling below the mid-to-upper 50s. On this day the temperature held steady at 47 degrees, with overcast skies, while riding for an hour at an average speed of just over 16 MPH. Again, I thought the jacket did an excellent job of keeping the wind out. This is in comparison to what I normally would wear under similar conditions: a long sleeve wicking shirt, a heavy long sleeve jersey and a wind breaker. During the last half of the ride I was warm enough that I had to partially unzip the jacket. Afterwards, although my face, hands and feet were cold, my core felt completely warm.

Rain: On one occassion I decided to take a walk in the rain to see how effective the Heat Elite would be at keeping me dry. On this day I walked for almost 45 minutes in a light-to-steady rain, with a temperature hovering around 37 degrees. Although you could make the argument that this wasn’t a monsoon or hurricane, the jacket still kept me completely dry and warm that day. As mentioned above, the snug collar prevented rain from seeping down my neck.

Warmth: As mentioned above, on the day that I wore the jacket while hiking in 18-degree temperatures, winds of 15-20 MPH, and a wind chill of 5 degrees, was likely the worst conditions in which I had a chance to test the Heat Elite. With only a long-sleeve wicking shirt underneath, I still felt completely warm during the entire hike, as I have on each of the other occasions I’ve worn the jacket. In fact, when temperatures were in the 30s, there were many times I had to unzip the front or the underarm vents in order to help regulate the heat I was generating. As far as I'm concerned, the jacket lives up to its main selling point.

The only complaint that I have is with the adjustable cuffs. When tightened, they tend to bunch-up on the wrist. If I had my choice, I would prefer the elastic type wrist I have on the two fleece jackets that I own.

Columbia also uses the Omni-Heat technology in some of their new gloves, something that will be on my Christmas wish list this year (Kathy, are you reading this?).

Overall I think the Omni-Heat Elite is an outstanding jacket and would have no problem purchasing it for myself. I like that this jacket will keep me warm and comfortable in colder weather. Most of all I like the fact that the jacket offers protection against multiple weather conditions, making it much easier to choose what to wear when heading out to the great outdoors.

Right now Altrec.com is offering 15% off on some men's colors and sizes.

However, Backcountry.com may have the best deal. They're offering the jacket at 30% off on men's jackets, for a sale price of only $125.96.


Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com

No Changes to Glacier's Mountain Goat Management Plan

Kurt Repanshek from the National Parks Traveler is reporting that Glacier National Park has no plans to change its regulations with regards to mountain goats. This response from Superintendent Chas Cartwright comes in light of a multi-million-dollar lawsuit that was recently filed by the widow and stepson of Robert Boardman, who was killed in Olympic National Park by a mountain goat in October 2010.

Witnesses and others in the area at the time describe an aggressive male mountain goat that approached, followed and fatally gored Boardman while he was hiking. Following the fatal encounter, the goat stood over Boardman until several visitors, including an off-duty National Park Service employee, succeeded in scaring off the goat.

An investigation into the park's handling of the case by the family's law firm turned up documentation that the goat had established a pattern of "aggressive behavior towards Park Service employees, experienced hikers, Boy Scout troops, (and) families with children."

Superintendent Cartwright told the National Parks Traveler:

“We have a variety of wild animals, most notably grizzly bears and black bears, and yes, we do have goats, sheep, and other animals that are in close proximity to heavy visitor use. I think that we have a pretty good plan and a pretty good program for managing that, but that’s something that I think will always be in the back of our minds."

You can read the full National Parks Traveler article here.



Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com

Backcountry Odyssey: Goat Haunt to Bowman Lake

Back in early 2010 our good friend Steven over at My Life Outdoors won an all expense paid trip to Glacier National Park. His prize, which he won through a contest hosted by Agion Active, provided him with a five-day guided backpacking trip with Glacier Guides this past August. His Glacier backcountry odyssey took him from Goat Haunt at the head of Waterton Lake, over Brown Pass, and down to the foot of Bowman Lake. In all, he and his wife hiked 26 miles.

Between late August and early September, Steven provided details of his adventures in a series of blogs, which include many great photos.

Blog 1 is about their trip down Waterton Lake, their short hike from Goat Haunt to the Waterton River Campsite, and a side hike to Rainbow Falls.

Blog 2 takes Steven and his wife past Lake Janet and onto the incredibly beautiful Lake Francis.

Blog 3 takes them up 6255-foot Brown Pass, as well as a side trip on the Boulder Pass Trail to see Hole in the Wall. Steven includes some very beautiful panoramic photos in this posting.

Blog 4 discusses Steven's kayaking excursion on Bowman Lake, and then their hike back out to civilization along the Bowman Lake Trail.

All in all, this is a great trip report, especially if you're considering a similar trip.






Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com